I stared up into the sky from Dende's lookout. I couldn't sleep at all so, I came out to see Dende. He wasn t there. So now, I was waiting for him. I thought about school and how I didn t really belong there. Then, I thought about my dad. He must be worried, not knowing where I was. The wind blew, causing hair to brush my face and flap in the wind. I looked down at the Earth. It s a wonder how Dende does it. How he can watch it all this time. I don t think I could do that.
I heard a soft footstep behind me. I spun around but saw noone. I couldn't believe it! I knew I heard someone. I turned back around, shrugging. I leaned my arms on the balcony and looked out again. Then, I heard the phone ring. I blinked and turned back around to the double doors. The phone rang again. I walked towards the living room, staring at the phone all the way there. It rang a third time. I stopped right in front of the phone and stared at it. Piccolo and Dende always told me to not pick up their phone. I took a deep breath, turned around, and started to walk away. Then, it rang again.
The fourth ring got the better of me. I spun around and picked up the small, black, cordless phone. I put it against my ear and said, "Hello?"
"Hello?" the voice on the other line said.
"Hi." I said casually.
"Who's this?" the voice asked.
"You first." I shot at him.
"Guess." He said.
I raised an eyebrow. I learned that from Dad, "Vegeta?"
"No..." the person chuckled.
"Who are you?" I asked.
"Try to guess."
"I'm tired of guessing. Good-bye." I started to hang up the phone.
"Wait, wait!" I heard him call to me. I brought the phone back to my ear.
"What's your name?" he asked.
I stayed silent for a minute and then said, "Goten."
"Goten, huh?"
"Yeah."
"Nice name."
"Thanks. Look, I'm tired, it's late, are you calling for someone?"
"Maybe."
"Well, who are you calling for? I can leave a message." I looked around for a pen and paper.
"What if I said I was calling for you?" he teased. It made my skin crawl.. I looked around briefly, lowering my voice a bit.
"What if I said good-bye?" I said to him, feeling a bit freaked out.
"Why would you want to say that?" he asked me. He sounded a bit upset.
"Why do you end a question with a question?" He was annoying the hell out of me. But, this also seemed oddly familiar.
"I'm inquisitive." Now, he just sounded mad.
I raised my voice and made an angry face. "Yeah? And I m impatient. If you wish to leave a message, then hurry up! If not, then good-bye!" I once again started to hang up the phone.
"Wait..." he stopped me again.
"What?!" I screamed into the phone.
"I have a message..." he said in a low voice.
"Oh." I felt so dumb. I laughed a bit, "Sorry about that. What is it?" I got a pen and a piece of paper to write it down.
"Do you want to die tonight, Goten?"
I gasped into the phone and hung up. Who the hell was that?! Were they trying to scare me?! Well, it was working! I carried the phone with me and I walked around. I looked behind each door and checked all the rooms. Just to make sure. I jumped when the phone rang again. I clicked the phone on and slowly put it to my ear, "H-Hello?"
"Goten?" a familiar voice said, "What are you doing there?"
"Dende?" I said in disbelief.
"Yeah. Are you okay?"
"No. Some freak just called me!" I snapped as I walked up to the front door and locked it.
"Didn t I tell you not to answer our phone?" Dende demanded.
"Oh, shut-up, Dende!" I snapped at him, "That's beyond the point! Where are you?"
"I'm on the Kai Planet. I can see earth from here. I was calling to tell that to Piccolo." Dende explained.
"When are you getting back?" I asked as I shut the blinds and locked the patio door.
"I'm not."
"What?!"
"I'm staying at Kai s."
I ran my hand through my hair, "Dende, I'm scared."
"Don't freak. Call Piccolo. He'll track whoever it is."
Right. You re totally right. I shouldn t freak. It s probably some asshole trying to scare me.
See? Dende laughed a bit, Don t forget to set the alarm. And would it hurt you to check the Caller ID once in a while?"
"Gods!" I slapped my forehead, "I forgot about that. Thanks."
"No problem." He said, "Oh and one more thing, don't answer any 'Private' or 'Unavailable' calls. Alright?"
"Uh-huh." I nodded, "No problem. Thanks again, man."
"No problem." Dende said, "Gotta go. See you." He hung up. I stood there with the dial tone buzzing in my ear. I slowly lowered the phone and then clicked it off. I rubbed my right arm with my left hand. I didn t know what to do next. So, I just switched on the TV and sat down on the couch. I just had to stay calm. Suddenly, the phone rang again. I slowly turned my head towards the phone. Then, I picked it up and looked at the Caller ID. It said "Pic's Cell." I smiled to myself and clicked it on. I brought it to my ear and said, "Piccolo! Listen, someone's harassing me..."
"You wish it was Piccolo!!" the voice interrupted me, "Don't forget to set the alarm!" he mimicked Dende.
I cried out, hung up, and then dialed Vegeta's Cell. It rang once... twice... three times...
"Vegeta! Hurry up, you bastard!" I yelled into the phone. Just as I said that, he answered, "What is it, Namek?!"
"Vegeta! Help me!" I called to him, "It's me, Goten! I'm at Dende's! Someone's-" I got cut off by a tall man bursting out of a random room. I screamed and started to run. The tall man was wearing a black cape like it was Halloween. He had black boots and black gloves. On his face was a white ghost mask. I screamed again when I felt his fingers brush my back. I ran down the long hallway towards the main room where the balcony was. He followed me, running with all his might, trying to catch up. I tried to run faster, but he grabbed me. I cried out again.
I tried to fight him off the best that I could. I saw something sharp and glassy gleam in his hand. A knife! I screamed out again, louder this time. I clutched the phone in my hand with all my might.
"Vegeta! Please! Help me!" I screamed out, praying that they could hear me. The guy picked me up and then threw me into the glass doors. The glass broke and I tumbled out onto the patio. I fell on my stomach, cutting both my forearms and knees. I began to cry and get up to run. But, the man got to me first.
I screamed in sharp piercing agony as I felt the knife slide into my back. My blood poured out over my shoulders and waist. He stabbed me again. I screamed out again, feeling the blood flow down again. He picked me up again and started to carry me to the edge of the balcony.
"No!" I screamed in pain and terror, pleading with him to let me go, "Please! No!"
Then, he threw me over the side of the balcony. I screamed all the way down, the phone
still clutched in my hand.